Best 128GB MLC DRAM SSDs
There are 33 128GB MLC DRAM SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Apacer Z280 at 2750 MB/s read, and the highest-rated for endurance is the ADATA SU900 (1600 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 400–2750 MB/s at 128GB.
Why this configuration
A 128GB MLC DRAM SSD is a legacy endurance choice. MLC stores two bits per cell instead of three, so these older drives take far more rewriting than a modern budget drive, at a much higher cost per gigabyte.
At 128GB this is really a boot or cache drive rather than a main library.
Usually chosen for: write-heavy secondary roles and keeping older machines useful.
Good fit: workstation and creative loads that hammer random I/O.
Ranked list
The top 20 of 33 are listed. The full SSD catalogue filters on every spec.
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 128GB ratings where published (18 of 33 drives), not the family headline figure. 8 of the 33 are rated slower at 128GB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 128GB run 150–620 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 128GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung 840 PRO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Top-tier | Samsung's 3-Core MDX Controller | 540 | 73 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Plextor M8PeY 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS1093 | 1600 | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Plextor M8PeG 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS1093 | 1600 | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  ADATA SU900 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | Silicon Motion SM2258H (1-Core, 4- | 560 | 1600 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Crucial M500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9187 | 500* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  OCZ RD400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | TOSHIBA TC56NCP070GSB (POSSIVELMEN | 2200 | 296 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  OCZ RD400 AIC 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | TOSHIBA TC56NCP070GSB (POSSIVELMEN | 2200 | 592 | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  Plextor M8PeGN 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS1093 | 1600 | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  ADATA SP920 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 560 | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  Crucial BX300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 555* | 160 | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  Crucial M550 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550 | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  Crucial M550 mSATA 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550 | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  ADATA SX930 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | JMICRON JMF670H (Comparável à um S | 550* | 280 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  Kingston SSDNOW KC400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Phison PS3110-S10 (4-Core, 55nm CM | 550 | 1600 | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  OCZ VECTOR 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Indilinx IDX500M00-BC Barefoot 3 | 550 | 36.5 | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  OCZ VECTOR 150 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Indilinx IDX500M00-BC Barefoot 3 | 550* | 91 | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  OCZ VECTOR 180 128GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | OCZ Barefoot 3 M00 | 550* | 91 | Find on Amazon |
| 18 |  SanDisk EXTREME II 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9187 | 550* | 80 | Find on Amazon |
| 19 |  Plextor M5 PRO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9187 | 540 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 20 |  Crucial BX100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2246EN | 535* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 128GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
128GB suits a boot drive or a light secondary disk.
MLC NAND is older and costs more per gigabyte, but is very durable.
An onboard DRAM cache keeps the flash mapping table on the drive, holding random performance steady under sustained load.